The present invention relates in general to fuel ignition, and more particularly, to a charcoal fire starter and cooker.
Heretofore, various expedients have been utilized to assist charcoal ignition for outdoor barbecue cooking. The most commonly accepted practice is to saturate charcoal briquettes with a highly inflammable liquid, referred to as starter fluid, and then to apply a lighted match thereto. Normally, the saturated charcoal would burst into flames frequently burning the operator.
Using the starter fluid required a relatively long period of time for ignition, sometimes taking 45-60 minutes, and even longer when the charcoal was wet or damp. In an effort to hasten the ignition of the charcoal, an operator sometimes would spray additional starter fluid on the hot coals generatfire flare up and/or explosions of the fluid container yielding severe burns and sometimes death. In addition to the dangerous feature of the highly inflammable fluid, the saturation of the charcoal oftentimes transferred the offensive smell and taste of the starter fluid onto the food item being prepared.
More recently, charcoal starters of the electrical type have been used. These charcoal starters also have been lacking as the charcoal ignition has been uneven and also time consuming.
The present invention comprises a tubular body having a perforated grate which divides the body into a charcoal chamber and a combustion chamber. Received within the combustion chamber is an easily available and inexpensive combustible material, such as newspaper, wood chips or the like. Upon igniting the combustible material, the tubular body is vented for developing a flue effect wherein the fire in the combustion chamber is pulled upwardly for concentrating intense heat on the charcoal placed within the charcoal chamber. Experiments have shown that, by the present invention, charcoal is ignited for barbecuing within approximately 5-10 minutes depending, of course, on the volume of charcoal. Thus, the time for charcoal ignition is substantially reduced and the danger formerly associated with the highly volatile starter fluid is eliminated.
The present invention contemplates the provision of an auxiliary grill which is easily inserted within the upper chamber for support on the legs of the handle. By this feature, the charcoal fire starter is converted into a camper's grill or stove readily accommodating various food items for cooking in the outdoors.
The present invention also comprises identical, reversible closures, each having a skirt with vents adapted for telescopic reception over opposite end portions of the tubular body for cooperation therewith to develop a cooking chamber or oven therein. In addition to forming a cooker, the closures may serve as a skillet for frying eggs, bacon, franks or other food items customarily utilized on camping trips. The cooking chamber may also double as a storage compartment for food, utensils, camping equipment and the like before and after usage.
The charcoal fire starter and cooker of the present invention is relatively simple in construction being inexpensive to manufacture but completely reliable in usage. Moreover, the charcoal fire starter and cooker incorporates novel detachable handles which may be easily inserted and removed for facile shipping and storage, but which are also sturdy and safe in usage. Once the handles are in locked position, they cannot be accidentally dislodged no matter how rough the charcoal fire starter and cooker is handled in usage.
The charcoal fire starter and cooker is divided into equal volumes which are reversible wherein the charcoal chamber on one occasion may become the combustion chamber on another; and vice versa. Similarly, the closures are reversible so one closure may be a skillet on one occasion and a fuel support on another occasion. Therefore, the life of the charcoal fire starter and cooker is increased at least twofold.